Welcome to our pre-registration and re-activation
page. Like all meaningful relationships, belonging to a
parish requires energy and dedication. Below you will
find a description of the common gradations of
belonging, followed by instructions on how to start the
process of pre-registration or re-activation.
Being registered.
Being “registered” is to be enrolled at a particular parish, this
parish and not another one. It could be the parish in one’s
neighborhood, the parish where one’s parents attended when one was
young or the parish where one feels most at home.
Being actively registered.
Being actively registered means having some involvement in one’s
parish. You could say it means exhibiting a pulse, showing some sign of
life, weak or strong. Pastors differ regarding how much “life” is expected
to be considered active. For some, if a parishioner is turning in a tithing
envelope every few months, then that individual is considered active.
Other pastors might want to see the parishioner at Mass at least once in
a while. Here too, opinions vary: Christmas, Easter and funerals? Every
month? Every four months? When one needs the next sacrament?
Being actively registered and qualified to be a Sponsor.
Being actively registered and being qualified to be a sponsor are two
different things. Sponsors are regularly involved in the life of their
parish. Most immediately, this means faithfully attending the
Sunday Eucharist, thereby sharing in the worship of God with one’s
fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It is one of the precepts of the
Church, and necessary to be Catholic in more than just a nominal or
superficial way.
Other elements, like having been confirmed and being established in an
ecclesially sanctioned state of life, are also necessary. You can find the
sponsor/godparent/affidavit requirement page here.
Other qualities.
Offering one’s help, skills and/or talents is considered here as an
extension and complement to the precept of the church regarding
tithing. We are very much a collective entity, the sum total of all the
goodness that parishioners freely offer to make their second spiritual
home one that is beautiful, welcoming and effective. Being involved is
doing what one can to maintain and better one’s church. No amount of
money can ever replace the volunteer work necessary for a vibrant and
attractive parish. Those who cannot give financially can offer their help
instead. New members entering St. Edwin should be ready to get to
know those in their spiritual family, help in our two festivals and offer
some regular service.
Tithing would not take from one’s basic needs, but should be significant
and substantial, not merely a token gesture.
One might add showing up with an upbeat attitude and spirit of
Christian kindness, as part of being an active and loving Catholic
parishioner. Members are encouraged to “catch the Spirit,” and
participate wholeheartedly in the programs offered by the parish. Do I
hear an “Amen!”?
Pre-registration and re-activation.
The distinctions offered above convey a certain approach to being a part
of a Catholic-Christian community. The reception of a sacrament
crowns the life of faith actively being lived in a local parish setting. This
outlook differs from a fast food drive-through attitude, where
individuals “pull up to the parish window, order what they want, and
then speed away” until the next “something” is needed. Unfortunately,
there are those who have taken on this second mentality.
Newcomers are asked to complete four months of pre-registration,
to display some real interest in becoming an active part of our local
parish community, and to familiarize themselves with it. It is also our
period of re-activation for already-registered parishioners who have
been away for a considerable amount of time, yet now seek something
from us, or better, wish to renew their presence here.
This entails 1) verifying your weekly Mass attendance at our parish
each Sunday with the designated person outside the church, 2) turning
in one of the white tithing envelopes each week with the amount you
decide, 3) taking a tour of the parish with the pastor or one of the
parishioners sometime within those four months and 4) participating in
some of our functions, even simply joining us for food after Mass.
Of course, four months does not guarantee genuine interest, but it’s a
start! If you would like to become part of our parish family, then say
hello to the pastor after Mass, visit the office and we will direct you to
our online pre-registration and/or re-activation form.
Pre-registration &
Re-activation